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Helix Rack with a wireless device


philfortin
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Hi, 

 

I got a Helix Rack with the controller (which I LOVE by the way).  I want in the near future to get a G90 wireless guitar system to add on my rack set up.

 

The question I have is does the Helix Rack have an input that can be use from the back panel to connect the G90, I saw XLR mic In, but not sure how I would connect this.  Want I would like to avoid is to run a short cable in between the rack gear to come on the front of the Helix and to plug it in the regular Guitar In.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

Thanks you

 

Phil

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Hi, Thx for the reply.  So that would works exactly like the normal Guitar Input?

 

Thx again

 

Well, not really... The Aux In is a lower impedance input and doesn't have the variable input Z like the Guitar In on the Helix does. The Aux In is designed more for higher output pickups. But because you're using a wireless system, your guitar pickups are only being loaded by the transmitter, not the 1/4" input on the Helix, it shouldn't really make much of a difference.

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My personal experience differs; I pretty much always use a wireless (G10 at home, G50 for gigging) and strictly go into the guitar input on the front with the variable Z - and changing the Z parameter of the input has a very notable effect on the resultant signal.

In fact just last week, I was wondering why my sound had changed on an experimental copy of a known preset - I'm almost always on 'auto' for input impedance by the way - and I finally realized that I had flipped the order of a couple of 'stomps' at the head of the chain, so the resultant load being seen by my guitar had changed. Switching the input Z manually to the right value solved it instantly.

 

So, honestly, to the OP I truly suggest running the cable to the front input to take full advantage of the features.

I would have really liked a duplicate input on the rear of Helix Rack for this very purpose, but... I keep a few self-made short cables for jumping from wireless receiver to front input.

It's worth it, honestly.

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I agree with MonkeyXT as well.  I use a G90, 1/4" Main out to the front input on the Helix.

Sounds great and you keep the input features of the unit.  That being said, if the 10k impedance

of the Aux In on the back of the Helix does not load your signal or change your tone your golden.

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Yeah, it just depends if you notice it or not. Using one of the effects returns might actually be a better option than using the Aux In, because I believe they're actually 1 MOhm when at instrument level. Using the Guitar In will give the most flexibility, for sure, though.

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Thx for the replies guys. I will have to make my own experiment once I set myself with a wireless system in particular.  

 

Any recommendations for a system that works great for you would be appreciated.  I don't want to spend of a lot of money if I don't have too, but I know it is cheaper on the long run to buy the good kit first instead of going affordable and then upgrade later on.

 

I have in mind the G90, G50-55 series (but not rack mountable) or a product from Shure.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thx again 

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I've found the G50 is quite stellar - being able to dial in the 'cable length' is worth the price of admission alone.

With the G50's clean signal combined with the cable length adjustment, it sounds quite invisible to me (and I'm very very fussy about this to be honest...)

 

I'm not totally familiar with the G55 to be honest, but I'm not certain it has the same full-fledged implementation of dial-selectable 'cable-length' parameter.

 

I've even found that, when sound-checking and finding things slightly bright or dark, and quick adjust to the cable length setting on my G50 was often all I needed to 'normalize' things to what I wanted to hear.

Since I moved up to Helix, I've had the Global EQ feature in reserve ready to tackle these situations; however, *knock on wood* I haven't had to go to it thus far, instead being able to cable-tone adjust to taste.

 

Depending on your scenario, maybe the G10 would suit - I believe it's hard-wired to be 10-foot cable equivalent in this parameter.

Depends on your applications as to whether this might work fine, and it's very affordable.

 

Happy wireless hunting.

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Again I agree with MonkeyXT.  I use a G50 in one rack system mounted to a tray in the rack with the antenna facing front.  Works great.

I also use a Helix rack system with a G90 and a Koch ATR-4502 tube hybrid power amp in a SKB rolling rack.  Both sound very nice and are very reliable. 

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For me, an electric guitar into ANYTHING other than the Guitar input does NOT sound right.

And, imho, I wish Line 6 (and virtually everybody else) had put the Guitar In on the BACK of the unit, but alas, nobody seems to on rack units. Axe doesn't have the guitar input on the back, but Kemper, interestingly, does have an alternative input back there that I think works well with guitar.

 

It's a minor inconvenience for me, but I don't use a wireless.

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I might also lean towards the Shure GLXD14, it got some interesting features.

 

Anyone has experience with it or has been able to compare it with the Line 6 wireless products. I saw a tread on it on the Fractal forum and a lot of positive things came out for the Shure.

 

Thx again

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Again I agree with MonkeyXT.  I use a G50 in one rack system mounted to a tray in the rack with the antenna facing front.  Works great.

I also use a Helix rack system with a G90 and a Koch ATR-4502 tube hybrid power amp in a SKB rolling rack.  Both sound very nice and are very reliable. 

If you had to choose between the 2, which one would you play with?  Did you get a chance to try the G55?

 

Thx

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I might also lean towards the Shure GLXD14, it got some interesting features.

 

Anyone has experience with it or has been able to compare it with the Line 6 wireless products. I saw a tread on it on the Fractal forum and a lot of positive things came out for the Shure.

 

Thx again

I switched from a G50 to a GLXD. I purchased the pedal GLXD16 bundle and then a stand-alone GLXD4 for rack use, and use the same transmitter for both. 

I did experience dropouts with the G50 from time to time and I also had to replace the transmitter because the battery door design on the G50's transmitter is a horrible design that breaks super easy. I find the GLXD to be rock solid even at the locations where my G50 struggled, and I'm pleased with the overall quality. Both Shure receivers have nice features - the GLXD16 has a nice tuner, mute, and runs off common 9V power supplies for pedalboards (if you have enough ma of course). The GLXD4 has a useful display and a slot to charge an extra battery. I can't speak to Line 6's newer wireless products but I certainly hope they addressed the battery door issue with the older transmitter.

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Hey phil,

Both the G50 and the G90 have been reliable and durable.  Sonically, they are identical to my ears. 

I guess the G90 being easily rack mountable would be my preference.

The TBP12 transmitters are bullet proof, cast aluminum cases.  Only long term issue I've heard is the

3 pin jack becoming intermittent.  I have not seen this and I have several years of gigs on them.

 

Looking at the Shure GLXD14, it could be a worthy choice as well.  I have not tried it.

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Hey phil,

Both the G50 and the G90 have been reliable and durable.  Sonically, they are identical to my ears. 

I guess the G90 being easily rack mountable would be my preference.

The TBP12 transmitters are bullet proof, cast aluminum cases.  Only long term issue I've heard is the

3 pin jack becoming intermittent.  I have not seen this and I have several years of gigs on them.

 

Looking at the Shure GLXD14, it could be a worthy choice as well.  I have not tried it.

 

thx for the input.

 

In order to get my feet wet with wireless system, I bought a Line G10 for now, very simple and sounds good to me for now.  Haven't tried it with the band yet or gig, but for home use it is very convenient.

 

I will definitely get a bigger system (rack mountable) in the near future. Might grab a used one if it popped on classified add.

 

Thx again for sharing your experiences. 

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Bear in mind that the G10's 1/4" output has a fixed 10' Cabletone equivalent applied. The XLR output does not! Both outputs may be used simultaneously. With the Helix this provides lots of possibilities aside from simply running a 1/4" into the Main Guitar In.

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Bear in mind that the G10's 1/4" output has a fixed 10' Cabletone equivalent applied. The XLR output does not! Both outputs may be used simultaneously. With the Helix this provides lots of possibilities aside from simply running a 1/4" into the Main Guitar In.

What do you have in mind for possibilities with the Helix. Running in both different input would do what? Or what do you do exactly?

 

Thx

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We'll you could use it in the AuxIn, or the FX Returns if you otherwise had a wired guitar in the Main Guitar In. And, I've never tried doing so, but another thread earlier today was discussing phase shifting doubled tracks (either real time or re-amped). This gave me the idea that the G10's XLR out could be used to the Helix Mic In CLR (or via an XLR to 1/4" TS cable to the Aux In) and put in Path 1B or 2A or 2B with a slight delay or phasing or other FX to achieve what sounds like a doubled track of the same part.

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